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After eight weeks of the 2022 college football season, there are only six unbeaten teams remaining.
There are no flukes in the list, either.
Out of the 131 BCS large division college football teams, only Clemson, Tennessee, Georgia, Michigan, TCU, and Ohio State remain without a loss this year. That is just 4.5% of the teams playing football in the upper division.
Of the half dozen teams with a perfect record, the two SEC schools (Tennessee and Georgia) will play against each other in Athens on November 5. The two Big Ten powers, Michigan and Ohio State, will eventually play their annual match-up in Columbus on November 26.
The other two unbeaten teams are from the ACC (Clemson) and Big 12 Conference (TCU). Clemson (now 8-0) escaped with a close win over 6-1 Syracuse last week. The Tigers still have a dangerous road trip to Notre Dame on November 5 and will finish the season against a quickly maturing 5-2 South Carolina team on November 26.
TCU’s Big 12 Conference schedule is filled a number of potential landmines, too.
The 7-0 Horned Frogs’ path to a perfect season includes back-to-back road games at Texas (November 12) and Baylor (November 19). The Big 12 schedule is incredibly difficult as each football team plays against each other during the regular season. An unbeaten TCU would richly deserve a place in the four-team College Football Playoffs this year.
This means that a maximum of four unbeaten teams is possible by the end of this season.
Though the chances are slim that all four teams will finish the year without a loss, it would create a unique College Football Playoff this year. There could be one undefeated team coming out of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 for the first time ever.
Nah, that’s not going to happen!
Already this year, the preseason #1 team, Alabama, has been pushed to the brink by Texas (20-19) and Texas A&M (24-20) before losing their first game at Tennessee 52-49 on a miraculous field goal as time expired. At the midpoint of the season, Alabama’s offense and defense have looked good at times but not great.
The defending national champions in Georgia are now 7-0. The Dawgs obliterated Oregon 49-3 in the opening game of the season. The Ducks have rallied to win six in a row since Week #1 and now lead the Pac-12 Conference. The more that Oregon wins, the more impressive Georgia’s opening week victory now looks.
Georgia hasn’t been picture perfect in 2022, either. The Bulldogs trailed for most of the game at Missouri (3-4) before rallying late in the fourth quarter for a 26-22 road win.
Georgia will face annual rival Florida (now 4-3) this Saturday in Jacksonville at the “World’s Largest Cocktail Party” game. The game will be televised at 2:30PM on CBS.
Tennessee’s 7-0 start has Volunteers fans giddy with excitement. The team’s thrilling win over Alabama showed that Tennessee is very deserving of national respect. The team’s offense can score with ease, and the Vols’ defense seems to be improving by the week.
This Saturday in Knoxville, the Volunteers must avoid looking ahead to their game with Georgia as they will face a solid 5-2 Kentucky team known for its tough defense.
The annual football game between Tennessee and Kentucky had been known as “The Beer Barrel” series.
Beginning in 1925, a half-orange and half-blue wooden beer barrel was awarded to the winner of the game. During the Prohibition years, the words “Ice Water” had been painted on the barrel to keep the Feds happy.
The last time the Beer Barrel was seen was in 1997 after Tennessee’s Peyton Manning led the Vols to a victory.
Days prior to the 1998 football game, Kentucky’s Athletics Director cancelled the tradition after a Wildcats football player was involved in a fatal DUI wreck. Two passengers in the car driven by the football player were killed.
It has been 25 years since the Beer Barrel was placed into permanent rehab after Tennessee’s win in 1997. Though some fans would like to see this long-time tradition return, it doesn’t appear likely prior to this Saturday’s football game.
This week’s SwampSwamiSports.com College Football Top 25 will debut four teams with two losses. There are now just six unbeaten teams remaining along with fifteen one-loss teams.
Welcome to our four teams with a 6-2 record this week! #22 LSU, #23 Troy, #24 Oregon State, and #25 Maryland have earned a spot in my rankings. We must say “Adios” to Kansas State, James Madison, South Alabama, and UCF after losing their games last weekend.
